Hospital Mortality Meetings - Are They Essential?

Abstract

The introduction of regular mortality meetings in a district hospital in South Africa is described. Some of the cases discussed are outlined with some of the issues arising out of investigation of the hospital records. Such meetings have the potential for improving hospital care and the suggestion is made that mortality meetings should form the basis of a quality improvement initiative in all hospitals. It is not common for hospitals to hold regular meetings to formally review the deaths of patients who die in hospital.